Growing up on Long Island means that there are very different types of schooling. Luckily where I’m from we had an amazing school district with a faculty that truly cared about their students. In elementary school especially there was not a day that I did not mind going to school. Every teacher in every grade, K-5, was absolutely amazing and made my experience in my first school incredible. Unfortunately though, not every district has this type of schooling and it can effect their growth as a student.
My school district, East Meadow School District, is made up of fantastic teachers in every single subject. From art teachers to math teachers it is rare to find a mediocre teacher. The district is made up of 5 elementary schools and there is not one that is better than another. Each school receives the same budget, same extracurricular activities, and an equal distribution of teachers dedicated to their students. East Meadow Schools are also known around the country for having one of the best music programs there is. Every student has the choice to join the band, orchestra, or chorus in 4th grade and since the program is so amazing, most students stick with it until the end of high school. Starting music at such a young age seems odd to some people, but for us students it was a once in a life time experience. Elementary school music teachers introduced students to the world of music and taught them how there is so much more to schooling than just sitting in a classroom. I began playing the flute as a fourth grader and stuck with it until my last day of high school. If I did not have the music teachers I did in elementary school teaching me such amazing things at such a young age I feel as if I would be a completely different person. They opened my eyes to different genres of music, different instruments I could play, and the more you practice something how rewarding it could be.
Starting kindergarten at age 5 looking back seems so young. Leaving your parents and having to make friend on your own seems like such a scary thing at such a young age. The kindergarten teachers in my elementary school made us all feel safe and comfortable. They taught us guidelines of life in such a simple and understanding way. Without my kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Waters, I would never have learned how to socialize correctly in groups or even how to read. Yes, my parents taught me the basics, but spending everyday with a teacher and in a classroom setting is really the key to learning social skills on a more deeper level. Growing up and moving from grade to grade in elementary school comes more learning skills. As we got older each teacher would get into more and more detail with social and behavioral skills. Without elementary school teachers no one would know the basics to everyday life.
With every good thing there is usually always a bad side as well. Going to public school meant having to deal with the people who are in charge of the school district as a whole. These people seemed to never respect the teachers, especially elementary. If something went wrong with a students grades in elementary school the teacher would get blamed and would sometimes start being watched by someone who has more power than them. If a student began to misbehave though, no higher up would want to seem to deal with it. With these people on the board of education never wanted to take the blame for not helping a troubled student and would blame their teacher. In middle school or high school it worked differently because each student has several teachers, so they could not pick just one to blame. They rarely seem to realize the hard work and dedication each and every single elementary school teacher puts into all their students.
I am forever grateful for being apart of the school district I belonged to. I am the person I am today because of my dedicated elementary school teachers. They taught me the way of life, from social skills to music. They taught me right from wrong, how to respect my peers and elders, and to always put others into consideration. Without these teachers to guide me I probably would not want to be a teacher in the future. I was lucky enough to apart of such an amazing school district made up of unforgettable teachers and students.
My school district, East Meadow School District, is made up of fantastic teachers in every single subject. From art teachers to math teachers it is rare to find a mediocre teacher. The district is made up of 5 elementary schools and there is not one that is better than another. Each school receives the same budget, same extracurricular activities, and an equal distribution of teachers dedicated to their students. East Meadow Schools are also known around the country for having one of the best music programs there is. Every student has the choice to join the band, orchestra, or chorus in 4th grade and since the program is so amazing, most students stick with it until the end of high school. Starting music at such a young age seems odd to some people, but for us students it was a once in a life time experience. Elementary school music teachers introduced students to the world of music and taught them how there is so much more to schooling than just sitting in a classroom. I began playing the flute as a fourth grader and stuck with it until my last day of high school. If I did not have the music teachers I did in elementary school teaching me such amazing things at such a young age I feel as if I would be a completely different person. They opened my eyes to different genres of music, different instruments I could play, and the more you practice something how rewarding it could be.
Starting kindergarten at age 5 looking back seems so young. Leaving your parents and having to make friend on your own seems like such a scary thing at such a young age. The kindergarten teachers in my elementary school made us all feel safe and comfortable. They taught us guidelines of life in such a simple and understanding way. Without my kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Waters, I would never have learned how to socialize correctly in groups or even how to read. Yes, my parents taught me the basics, but spending everyday with a teacher and in a classroom setting is really the key to learning social skills on a more deeper level. Growing up and moving from grade to grade in elementary school comes more learning skills. As we got older each teacher would get into more and more detail with social and behavioral skills. Without elementary school teachers no one would know the basics to everyday life.
With every good thing there is usually always a bad side as well. Going to public school meant having to deal with the people who are in charge of the school district as a whole. These people seemed to never respect the teachers, especially elementary. If something went wrong with a students grades in elementary school the teacher would get blamed and would sometimes start being watched by someone who has more power than them. If a student began to misbehave though, no higher up would want to seem to deal with it. With these people on the board of education never wanted to take the blame for not helping a troubled student and would blame their teacher. In middle school or high school it worked differently because each student has several teachers, so they could not pick just one to blame. They rarely seem to realize the hard work and dedication each and every single elementary school teacher puts into all their students.
I am forever grateful for being apart of the school district I belonged to. I am the person I am today because of my dedicated elementary school teachers. They taught me the way of life, from social skills to music. They taught me right from wrong, how to respect my peers and elders, and to always put others into consideration. Without these teachers to guide me I probably would not want to be a teacher in the future. I was lucky enough to apart of such an amazing school district made up of unforgettable teachers and students.